MYSORE: The weekend theatre programmes held at Rangayana every Sunday will complete 10 years on January 26. With the intention of providing a regular theatrical fest for art lovers, the practice of staging plays every weekend was started in January 26, 2002 by the then Rangayana director Prasanna, the third director to hold office at Rangayana after B V Karanth and C Basavalingaiah. In the beginning, artistes from Rangayana staged plays every Saturday and Sunday at Boomigeetha. But since 2006, the plays were staged only on Sundays.Over the decade, hundreds of plays have been staged. Some of the outstanding include Kallarali Hoovagi, Kusuma Bale, Maggadavaru, Alegalalli Rajahamsa, Kattale Belaku, Pratishodha, Gundegowdana Charitre and several others.Speaking to The New Indian Express, Rangayana director Rajaram said, “Most of the plays are staged here for the first time and renowned directors are invited to direct the artistes. The artist will at any time be ready to stage at least 12-15 plays,” he said. There are so many theatre buffs in the city who are regular visitors because of which there is a good response every week. Though seating arrangement inside Bhoomigeetha Auditorium is limited to only 250, it is usually not crowded as most of the plays are repeated 4-5 times to make it convenient for visitors to choose an appropriate weekend, he added. The entry fee is a nominal `30. Prasanna, former dirctor of Rangayana said that weekend plays were introduced to draw the attention of tourists visiting the city. “I am very happy it is running continuously and has set a record in our country completing 10 years without a break,” he said with pride.Saroja Hegde, Vinayak Bhat Hanasagi, Mime Ramesh, Hulagappa Kattimani, Jagadish Manavarthe, Geetha Moontdka and Prashant Hiremutt are some of the artistes who practise here regularly before staging their plays.
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